The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-04-27
THE LAPSE OF TIME.
A Correspondent Writes of Fair
ChautauQua.

MEAnt lILE. IA April - tilth. IN
his last novel. makes the hero say Just
before the civil war. Antietan creek
never heard Of that before. How deti-
cient in history our country l. t~ But the
student If be VIII bur investigate VIII find
,ur country's soil rich with historical as
sociations. yielding plentiful illustrations
/ Of fthe great aw Of nations growth
Take for instance. Virginia. Among
her many memorials as the proud and
wealthy colony ofa century and a half
( ago, are the ruins Of costly churches and
stately houses built Of imported brick.
( with carved mahogany staireases and
/ massive doors Among those that have
not been allowed to perish with age Is
Stone mansion IN Alexandria It was
I built of material brought from Europe In
l753, and forms to-day part of the
~ Bradinck House" the largest hotel Of
the city. About the ancient walls new
ones have been built. and the pretty
blue room Is the same one in which
was held the council Of war that preced-
ed Brldd0ck's campaign IN this room
General Bsaddocz offered to Washington
% commission a. an aid and there the
plan Of campaign was agreed upon. SIX
days after the historic march began
Fhich ended in Bradd0ck- defeat. and
the commencement 0f the last Of the ser
ie- Of wars between the French and En-
s.i-h- to decide which nation should con-
troll the continent
The connecting link batweeu the
French provinces Of Canada and L0uisi-
ANA vas the portage road from Lake Erie
Co Lake shautaG4usl. another place Of in
taresting historical associations Its his
tory in brief Is this
In S4iie the intrepid French explorer
while learning the languageof the seneca
Iudiaus, vas told by them Of u great river
cl.ieu Tine Ohio. which had It's source in
tneir country. but whose mouth could be
reached only after journey If several
months In sale determined t7 ~ee this
river He sold his Canadian possessions
ta raise means Of purchasing four canoes
and necessary supplies. and with fourteen
men he started from Canada IN July,
1860. with two Senecas a. guides They
landed On the southern shore Of Lake On
tauo and iourneyed fifteen OF twenty
miles s0uth ward to the Iudian villages.
After the deSertion Of most Of his party
and MANY other Ii~-ouragements La sale
reached JhauraEqua Lake. descended to
the Allegheny and foated down the Ohio
az far Us tine rapids at Louisville. where
the rest OF his men deserted him, and he
returned alone. Chauauqua lake l. thus
mentioned by his biogapher A little
lake. SIX or seven miles south Of Lake
Erie. It's mouth opening to the southeast
ward" No practical use was made Of
this discovery ola short route across the
watershed until the French government.
nearly eighty years after. sent an expedi-
Jipn to take formal possession the Ohio
and Mississippi valleys IN the name of the
sovereign Of France Their orders were
5o bury lt stated intervals series OF lead
"a plates engraved with the arms Of
France and a statement Of ownership.
The party consisted of 400 Canadians and
Indians. Their 'irst encampment was
near the foot Of Chaurauqua Lake. and
the first Ie;iden plate was buried on the
present site Of jamestown.
Three years after the government gen {
eral Of Canada preparing for the war
which resulted from the council held in
th- blue room Of the Braddock House. or i
dered d portage road constructed from
Lake Ere to Lake Chauauqga- This
was accomplished in four days. by 100
men. and was well patronized through
the exciting months that followed The
last few miles still form the highway be-
tween WestfeId and NayviHe. terminat-
ing at the dock from which the crowded F
steamers ply back and forth In rhe sum
mer months from the railroad % the great
Chaurauqua Assembly
Toward she close Of the revolution, a .
dotilla was built on Chautauqua Lake,
and 500 British soldiers and Indian allies
embarked with the intention Of capturing
Fort f1tt. now Pittsburgh but rImors Of .
the great strength of the fort lead To the
abandonment Of the scheme. some tifty .
wear. ago. row Of wooden piles was dis .
covered. extending across thaurauqua .
Lake outlet. which are believed to have
been put there for the purpose Of causing
d sufficient Cow Of water 10 carry this .
hoHIla To Fort Pitt.
What contrast between these turbu- .
lent scenes and the Chadtauqua of to-day
On ITS. miet shores Is situated "a lovely
summer city. Nith 1000 or more cottages. +
4 barge hotel. stores for al needed sup-
plies, "a police patrol daily newspaper, /
electric lights. in tacr ali the luxunes one f.
can desire. added to opportunities f5rrec-
reati9n and instruction furnished by the
rich programme of lectures and concerts.
the schools of language. normal eIa-~es,
and college % music. The forests. which
once re-ounded with indian war cries
and the rattle Of musketry. now echo with
the merry laugh Of children, the swelling
notes Of the green organ and the melody
Of the sweet voiced Chautauqua chimes.
At night all Is quiet, save as the music Of
a goodnight song floats from some cot
tage door. or the great clock in the tower
strikes the hour and -eerns to say AIS